NASCAR Truck: Brett Moffitt to GMS Racing but not as Sauter’s replacement

HAMPTON, GA – FEBRUARY 24: Brett Moffitt, driver of the #16 AISIN Toyota, poses with the winners decal on his truck in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Active Pest Control 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 24, 2018 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)

By AMANDA VINCENT

GMS Racing has confirmed that reigning NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series champion Brett Moffitt has a ride with the team in 2019, but he is not 2016 champion Johnny Sauter’s replacement, as was speculated Wednesday when the team announced Sauter’s release. Instead, Moffitt will drive the No. 24 Chevrolet that was driven by Justin Haley last season.

Haley is moving to the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the 2019 season. GMS is not fielding the No. 21 truck that was driven by Sauter last year.

Moffitt was released from Hattori Racing Enterprises during the offseason, with that race team citing a lack of sponsorship as the reason for his release. Although the Hattori Racing team, with Moffitt as driver, ended the 2018 season with six wins and the Truck Series championship, the team struggled throughout the season with sponsorship issues. Hattori Racing recently announced its hiring of Austin Hill to drive its No. 16 in place of Moffitt in 2019.

Sauter is without a NASCAR national-level ride with just over a month remaining before the start of the 2019 Truck Series season at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Feb. 15. His 2016 series title came in his first season with GMS Racing. He was second in the standings in 2017 and fourth last season. He matched Moffitt in 2018 wins with six.